Oral complaints and utilization of dental services in relation to general health factors in a 88-year-old Swedish population*

The aim of this study was to describe dental state, oral health problems, self-assessed ability to perform oral hygiene and utilization of oral health services in a sample of 88-year-old people (n=374) and to relate these variables to functional ability, subjective health and drug consumption. The intention was also to Identify barriers to utilization of dental care in non-institutionalized elderly people. The results of interviews showed that 46% of the subjects were dentate. Oral complaints were reported by 24% of the home living individuals. Poor health, medication and feelings of loneliness were factors associated with oral discomfort. Difficulties in performing oral hygiene activities were reported by 10% of the subjects and were correlated with functional impairments and feelings of loneliness. Utilization of dental services was correlated with dental state; 72% of the dentate and 8% of the edentulous subjects made regular dental visits. The main reason for not visiting a dentist was “no perceived need”. Independent of dental state, some factors were significantly correlated to low demand for dental services; these included feelings of loneliness, functional impairments and low school education.     

Intra- and intergenerational social mobility in relation to height, weight and body mass index in a British national cohort

Using a sample of 2090 father and son pairs, the extent of intra- and inter-generational social mobility (migration between social classes) was examined over a 42-year period in a British cohort in relation to height, weight and body mass index (BMI). The mean height difference between the highest and lowest social class decreased from about 4 cm in the fathers' generation to about 3 cm in the sons' generation, indicating a decline in heterogeneity in height between classes. For fathers downward intra-generational social mobility ranged between 11% and 18% while between 16% and 26% were upwardly mobile; for sons 15% were downwardly mobile and 21% upwardly mobile. On average downwardly mobile fathers were shorter by between 0.1 cm and 0.7 cm while upwardly mobile fathers were taller by, on average, 0.6 cm to 1.7 cm. For sons, the downwardly mobile were on average 0.7 cm shorter and the upwardly mobile 0.8 cm taller. For weight and BMI there were no consistent relationships with intra-generational mobility in either the fathers' or sons' generations. Inter-generationally, between 18% and 19% of sons were downwardly mobile and between 39% and 40% were upwardly mobile; the downwardly mobile were shorter by about 0.9 cm and the upwardly taller by between 0.6 cm and 1.2 cm. Sons with higher BMI were more likely to be inter-generationally downwardly mobile.     

18年生杉木不同部位和叶龄针叶光响应研究

在最适温度(30±1℃)、适宜湿度(70%±5％)和正常大气CO2浓度（350±10×10-6V/V）向下,采用活体测定方法,测定了18年生杉木不同部位和叶龄针叶对光照的稳态和动态响应。结果表明,不同部位和叶龄针叶净光合速率（Pn）的光响应特征有明显差异,从上部到下部、从当年生到1年生至2年生,针叶Pn、饱和光强（PSLI）和光补偿点（LCP）降低,表观量子效率（α）提高。经一定时间暗处理后,针叶需要一定光诱导才能获得相应光强下的最大Pn。光诱导期长短与猝发性光强以及叶龄和针叶在树冠中所处的部位有关。猝发性光照越强,所需的光诱导期越长;下部针叶光诱导期短于中部针叶;而1年生针叶短于当年生针叶。不同部位针叶对稳态和动态光照的响应与针叶长期适应所处的光环境有关,而不同叶龄的差异除与生理活性有关外,也可能与所处的光环境有关。     

Analysis of periodic fluctuations of the height of Swedish soldiers in 18th and 19th centuries.

This paper investigates the periodicity of the adult height of Swedish soldiers of the 18th and 19th centuries using spectral analysis. The height data are left truncated due to the enforcement of minimum height requirement. Hence, we use a truncated regression model using maximum likelihood estimation. We isolate the various frequency components, assess their importance, and perform sensitivity analysis by means of fitting several alternative models.     

A prospective cohort study of physical activity in relation to lung cancer incidence among Black women

BackgroundBlack women have higher lung cancer incidence and mortality rates despite a lower smoking prevalence than White women. Physical activity may reduce lung cancer risk through several pathways, including the immune and inflammatory systems, as well as those with effects on sex hormones and metabolism.MethodsWe examined vigorous physical activity, walking for exercise, sitting watching television, and metabolic equivalents (METs) in relation to lung cancer risk among 38,432 participants in a prospective cohort of Black women. We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for covariates to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsIn 1995–2017, 475 incident lung cancer cases accrued. Participants who engaged in ≥ 1 h/week of vigorous physical activity or expended the highest tertile of METs experienced a decreased risk of lung cancer (HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.65–1.10; 0.89, 0.68–1.18; respectively). An increased risk was observed for sitting watching television (≥1 h/week: 1.27, 0.72–2.21). In stratified models, an inverse association between walking for exercise and lung cancer risk was only present among former smokers (≥1 h/week: 0.71, 0.52–0.98), while inverse associations between vigorous physical activity (≥1 h/week: 0.45, 0.28–0.73) and METs (tertile 3: 0.54, 0.34–0.85) and lung cancer risk were present among smokers with ≥ 20 pack-years.ConclusionPhysical activity may play a role in reducing lung cancer risk among Black women, particularly among smokers. Future studies should explore biologic mechanisms whereby physical activity may influence carcinogenesis and investigate the role of exercise interventions in reducing lung cancer risk among smokers.     

Body height in relation to rural-urban migration in Poland

A survey was conducted among 2800 students studying in Wroc?aw, Poland. The questionnaire included questions on the body height of the students and their parents, and place of residence and migration patterns of the students themselves, their parents and their grandparents. Body height in both students and their parents was positively correlated with the size of their place of residence. This was particularly true for male students and their fathers. Body height in students and parents from mobile families was not significantly different from that of their peers from non-mobile families. Body height in mobile individuals was generally between that of non-mobile individuals from rural areas and that of non-mobile individuals from large urban centres. Students from families that had migrated from smaller urban centres to larger ones were taller than students from families that had migrated from rural areas to urban centres. Body height in students was also correlated with the kind of migration that took place. In the students' mothers, body height was higher if the maternal grandparents moved from smaller urban centres to larger urban centres than if the maternal grandparents moved from rural areas to urban centres. In female students, body height depended on whether their mothers had migrated from smaller places of residence to larger places of residence, but was not affected by the degree of migration. Intra-generational migration during the generation of the students' grandparents was associated with increased body height in the students' mothers. On the other hand, intergenerational migration during the generations of the students' grandparents and parents was associated with increased body height in the students' fathers and in female students. Body height was not a reliable indicator of whether an individual migrated from rural areas to Wroc?aw. Far more reliable indicators were the size of the place the student lived their whole life and whether the family had lived in an urban environment for at least two generations.     

Risk of severe knee and hip osteoarthritis in relation to level of physical exercise: a prospective cohort study of long-distance skiers in Sweden

Background

To complete long-distance ski races, regular physical exercise is required. This includes not only cross-country skiing but also endurance exercise during the snow-free seasons. The aim of this study was to determine whether the level of physical exercise is associated with future risk of severe osteoarthritis independent of previous diseases and injuries.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used a cohort that consisted of 48 574 men and 5 409 women who participated in the 90 km ski race Vasaloppet at least once between 1989 and 1998. Number of performed races and finishing time were used as estimates of exercise level. By matching to the National Patient Register we identified participants with severe osteoarthritis, defined as arthroplasty of knee or hip due to osteoarthritis. With an average follow-up of 10 years, we identified 528 men and 42 women with incident osteoarthritis. The crude rate was 1.1/1000 person-years for men and 0.8/1000 person-years for women. Compared with racing once, participation in ≥5 races was associated with a 70% higher rate of osteoarthritis (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33 to 2.22). The association was dose-dependent with an adjusted HR of 1.09, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13 for each completed race. A faster finishing time, in comparison with a slow finishing time, was also associated with an increased rate (adjusted HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.01). Contrasting those with 5 or more ski races and a fast finish time to those who only participated once with a slow finish time, the adjusted HR of osteoarthritis was 2.73, 95% CI 1.78 to 4.18.

Conclusions/Significance

Participants with multiple and fast races have an increased risk of subsequent arthroplasty of knee and hip due to osteoarthritis, suggesting that intensive exercise may increase the risk.     

Biosocial correlates of stature in a 16-year-old British cohort

Analyses of the height variation of 16-year-old members of the British National Child Development Study revealed a number of biological and social variables which associated with stature. After multiple regression analyses only eight variables, namely social class, family size, tenure (owner occupied or one of several types of rented home), crowding status, number of children sleeping in the bed, region of the country, sex of child, and pubic hair rating, remained significant. The total variation explained by these biosocial variables was 37.5%.     

Nocturia, sleep-disordered breathing, and cardiovascular morbidity in a community-based cohort

Background

Nocturia has been independently associated with cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality, but such studies did not adjust for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which may have mediated such a relationship. Our aims were to determine whether an association between nocturia and cardiovascular morbidity exists that is independent of SDB. We also determined whether nocturia is independently associated with SDB.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In order to accomplish these aims we performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Sleep Heart Health Study that contained information regarding SDB, nocturia, and cardiovascular morbidity in a middle-age to elderly community-based population. In 6342 participants (age 63±11 [SD] years, 53% women), after adjusting for known confounders such as age, body mass index, diuretic use, diabetes mellitus, alpha-blocker use, nocturia was independently associated with SDB (measured as Apnea Hypopnea index >15 per hour; OR 1.3; 95%CI, 1.2–1.5). After adjusting for SDB and other known confounders, nocturia was independently associated with prevalent hypertension (OR 1.23; 95%CI 1.08–1.40; P = 0.002), cardiovascular disease (OR 1.26; 95%CI 1.05–1.52; P = 0.02) and stroke (OR 1.62; 95%CI 1.14–2.30; P = 0.007). Moreover, nocturia was also associated with adverse objective alterations of sleep as measured by polysomnography and self-reported excessive daytime sleepiness (P<0.05).

Conclusions/Significance

Nocturia is independently associated with sleep-disordered breathing. After adjusting for SDB, there remained an association between nocturia and cardiovascular morbidity. Such results support screening for SDB in patients with nocturia, but the mechanisms underlying the relationship between nocturia and cardiovascular morbidity requires further study. MeSH terms: Nocturia, sleep-disordered breathing, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep apnea, polysomnography, hypertension.     

Low malaria morbidity in a cohort of Senegalese children with free access to health structures

We report the impact of the free access to health facilities on malaria morbidity in children from two to 15 years old, during a malaria transmission season in Niakhar, Senegal. Between July and December 2002, 227 malaria attacks occured in 566 children. Only one case of severe malaria was observed and no death has been reported. Our results demonstrate furthermore that easier access to health facilities and to early treatment is playing a key role in malaria control.     

Phosphatase activity in relation to phytoplankton composition and pH in Swedish lakes

SUMMARY. 1. Potential phosphatase activity and phytoplankton from several lakes of different character were compared in order to evaluate the importance of lake water pH and phytoplankton composition for the activity and pH optimum of lake water phosphatases.
2. In oligotrophic lakes, in which phytoplankton biomass was most often dominated by Ochromonadaceae spp., optimum phosphate activity was found at pH values <6. In eutrophic lakes, where species of Cyanophyceae and Bacillariophyceae dominated the phytoplankton biomass, optimum phosphatase activity was found at pH 7.5 or 8.5.
3. The pH optimum of phosphatase activity often differed from the corresponding lake water pH.
4. Experimental variation in phosphorus availability resulted in predictable changes in phosphatase activity. However, specific phosphatase activity, calculated per biomass of phytoplankton, was dependent on plankton species composition.     

Tree diversity in relation to tree height: alternative perspectives

Marks et al. (Ecol. Lett., 19, 2016, 743–751) show that tree diversity increases with tree height in North America and argue it reflects habitat ‘suitability’. This finding conflicts with classical results, lacks controls for covariates of tree height, and can be explained alternatively using the modified Janzen–Connell effect and regional variance in habitats.